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Local Medical Professional Says There May Be a Golden Lining To U.S. Health Care Crisis

By BRANDON VILLALOVOS

Wednesday, May 31, 2017 | 9:08 pm

Dr. Dennis Buckley

“Functional Medicine” may be the new norm in replacing expensive and often confusing health care plans, according to local Chiropractor and Clinic Director of Health Advantage Physical Medicine, Dr. Dennis Buckley, who says that generations old and young, are beginning to shift their attitudes from relying on treating symptoms to making preventative lifestyle changes instead.

Health Advantage is located on Lake Ave. just north of Washington Blvd. and has transformed over the years from a somewhat standard chiropractic office and into a diverse clinic that is constantly evolving to meets the needs of Pasadena’s growing aging population.

Buckley said he and his staff are seeing a rise in demand in treatments like vitamins, laser therapy and non-surgical joint procedures versus the traditional big budget surgeries and frequent doctor visits.

“There are a lot of people who are sick and tired of being sick and tired,” Buckley explained. “One thing we are teaching them is to how to be responsible for their health and to also help them along the way with safe and effective ways of bringing them back into line with the health that their body craves.”

Buckley’s Health Advantage Physical Medicine offers care and services to people that are safe, effective and affordable in the form of functional medicine, which is designed to understand how all of your body’s systems work together and interact with your environment as a whole.

The philosophy behind functional medicine is quite simple–to prevent health problems before they happen, not treat them after the fact.

According to Buckley, his clinic is thought of as a “one-stop-shop” for medical health needs.

The local market is demanding these new wave types of treatments, according to Buckley, which include everything from standard chiropractic and acupuncture services to non surgical stem cell regeneration therapy injections.

Chiropractic treatments remain at the core of Health Advantage’s services due to the advanced aging population.

“People do wear out and they are looking for ways to maintain their functionality,” said Buckley who explained that chiropractic treatments are essential for maintaining the body’s central nervous system as a means to work properly.

According to Buckley, an estimated 70 to 90 percent of emergency room visits are lifestyle related causes, which are preventable.

“There’s not enough discussion going on about how to educate and prevent these types of health problems from occurring in the first place,” said Buckley.

“People are being very judicious with their health care dollars. If they’re going to spend money, they’re going to get something out of it. People are seeking out this type of care because they’re getting something for their money, they’re seeing results and it’s safer than taking drugs,” said Buckley.

Baby Boomers make up one of the largest demographics of individuals that seek functional medicine treatments which may symbolize a turning point in health standards in the United States.

“A lot of these types of things are gaining momentum now and people are looking for these safe alternatives and I think these alternatives are not really alternatives–they’re actually mainstream and should be mainstream,” said Buckley.

Health Advantage offers free consultations for anyone interested in learning about custom treatments that are tailored to individual needs.

“The best health care plan is the one you put in place yourself,” explained Buckley.

For more information about services and treatments, visit www.health-advantage.net or call (626) 798-7805. Health Advantage is located at 1450 N Lake Ave, Pasadena.